Electrostatic comb

ABSTRACT

An electrostatic charge generating comb assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,716 is improved upon by substituting a wire having a significant resistivity for the very highly conductive wire, rearrangement of a conducting bar or wires relative to the edge of the intervening dielectric block between the conductive wire and the comb and the introduction to a flow of hot air between the bar or wire and the edge of the dielectric block.

July 1, 1975 United States Patent [1 1 Andersen ELECTROSTATIC COMB [76]inventor:

[57] V ABSTRACT An electrostatic charge generating comb assembly dis-[22] Filed:

closed in US. Pat. No. 3,394,716 is improved upon by substituting a wirehaving a significant resistivity for the very highly conductive wire,rearrangement of a conducting bar or wires relative to the edge of theintervening dielectric block between the conductive 04 mm 14 12,25 3.x 4

AR um m H l .c Hr 8 NW a d 5nd UhF '11] 2 8 555 wire and the comb andthe introduction to a flow of References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS hotair between the bar or wire and the edge of the dielectric block.

132/124 I 11/1970 34, 97 21 Chums 6 D'awmg 2.177.907 Morris 3 538 617 1ELECTROSTATIC COMB The present invention relates to hair comb assembliesand more particularly to hair comb assemblies which generateelectrostatic charges while combing hair.

In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,7I6, a hair comb assembly was disclosed whichgenerated electrostatic charges in the hair during combing. This isacheived by spacing a conductive bar parallel to a comb and transfers tothe teeth of the comb and further placing a dielectric block edgeparallel to the conductive bar and spaced between the bar and the comb.This construction removed foreign particles from the hair and improvesthe body of the hair so that in some instances ratting is not necessaryto give an improved appearance.

The present invention encompasses three principal methods of enhancingthe electrostatic charge generating quality of the comb assemblypreviously disclosed in that U.S. Patent.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved electrostatic comb assembly.

A further object of the present invention is to improve theelectrostatic charge generating quality of an electrostatic combassembly by relocating the edge of a dielectric block separating theconductive bar from the comb so that it is more firmly contacting thehair during brushing.

Another object is to provide an electrostatic comb assembly which hasimproved electrostatic generating characteristics produced by utilizinga resistive conductive bar instead of a very highly conductive bar orwire.

Yet another object is to provide an electrostatic comb assembly of thetype disclosed in my aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,716 wherein hotair is passed between the conductive bar and the electrostaticgenerating edge of the dielectric block.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdetailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsin which:

FIG. I is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of one section of the preferredembodiment illustrated in FIG. I taken along the lines 22;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of two of the components of thepreferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 when they are fittedtogether;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional side elevational view of the modifiedembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a top elevational view of the embodiment of the inventionillustrated in FIG. 5.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described indetail embodiments of the invention with the understanding that thepresent disclosures are to be considered as exemplifications of theprinciples of the invention and are not intended to limit the inventionto the embodiments illustrated. The scope of the invention will bepointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a combination electrostatic and hot comb has ahot air generator I], a dielectric block 12 and a mounting bracket 17.The hot air generator includes a housing which has a handle portion 32and a grill structure 21. The outer end of the handle portion 32contains air passages and a fan for drawing air over heating elements(not shown). The heated air is ejected through the grill 21. The hot airgenerator illustrated corresponds to the Remington 600" manufactured bySperry Remington Electric Shaver Division of Sperry Rand Corporation.Those skilled in the art will recognize that similar dryers of othermanufacturers may be utilized. The heating elements are connected tosuitable wiring which is connected to a source of cycle I 10 volts inthe manner well known to those skilled in the art.

The dielectric plug 12 is made of a plastic such as Lexon manufacturedby General Electric and has an outer surface 23. A hard rubber comb 22,which is also dielectric, is secured in the block 12. The comb includesa back 34 and a plurality of teeth 36 formed in tegrally with the back34. The outer surface 23 of the dielectric block 12 forms an acute anglewith an embrasure like surface 48 to form a hair engaging edge 50. Thisedge 50 forms a rectangle about the comb 22. The dielectric block 12 hasa pair of guides 5i and 52 projecting from its ends.

The bracket 17 has four extending arms 25-28, forming an integral partthereof. An outward facing notch 55-58 is provided in each of therespective extending arms 25-28. The dielectric bar 12 slides into thebracket 17 as shown in FIGS. 2-4 with the guides SI and 52 sliding intoslots provided between the pairs of arms 25-26 and 27-28 respectively.These slots are tapered so that the dielectric block will be positionedwith the edge 50 extending below the wire 20 by approximately one-fourthinch. Referring to FIG. 4, when a plane is projected such as 100 fromtips 37 of the tip 36, to the bar or wire 20 it may be seen that thedielectric block edge 50 lies substantially in the same plane, thusproducing better contact with the hair during combing.

With the dielectric bar 12 inserted in the bracket 17 as shown in FIGS.2-4, the anns 27 and 28 are inserted in apertures 67 and 68 respectivelyand then the arms 25 and 26 are inserted in the apertures and 66respectively. The notches 57 and 58 engage projections (not shown) inthe hot air generator 11 and the notches 55 and 56 are engaged by theend of a spring loaded slide (not shown) so that the bracket 17 with thedielectric bar and comb 12 are held rigidly in place. When it is desiredto remove the bracket 17, the slide bar is slid away from the notches 55and 56 by a rigidly attached projection 69 which protrudes through anaperture 33 of the handle portion 32. A bracket 17 is constructed of adielectric such as plastic. A wire 20 is rigidly mounted on the loweredge of the bracket I7 when the teeth of the comb are facing downwardly.The wire 20 illustrated in the drawings is No. 20 wire having 0.6347ohms per foot resistance. Such a wire may be Nichrome V. wiremanufactured by Driver-Harris Co. having a content of 60% nickel, 16%chrome and 24% iron. Thus the wire 20 while being conductive does have asignificant and recognizable resistance. I have found that by providinga resistance wire in place of extremely highly conductive wire asdisclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,716 that the electrostatic effect onthe hair is significantly improved.

A series of slots 18 on the bracket 17 align themselves with a series ofslots generally indicated at 19 on the dielectric bar 12 to form aseries of circular passageways through which hot air being emittedthrough the grate 21 is passed outwardly between the edge 50 and theresistance wire 20.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6 the same dielectric block 12 is insertedin a brush handle generally indicated as 70. A rectangular aperture 71is provided into which the dielectric block 12 is inserted with theguides 51 and 52 entering the slots 71 and 72 respectively. The guide 52is maintained in place by a projection 73 in the handle 70 and after thedielectric block I2 is inserted with the guide 52 under the projection73, a slide 74 which is movably mounted on the handle 70 may be movedover guide 51 so that the dielectric block 12 with comb 22 is held inplace. Thus the dielectric block that was used with the hot airgenerator unit 11 may now be used as part of a manual haircomb assembly.A wire 80 which is identical or similar to wire is mounted on the handle70 so that it surrounds the dielectric block 12 and is spaced aboutone-fourth inch from the dielectric block edge 50 when the dielectricblock I2 is mounted in the brush handle 70.

I have found that the constructions illustrated in the FIGS. l6 havethree distinct advantages over my disclosure of an electrostaticgenerating hair comb disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,716. First, theelectrostatic charges which are generated when the hair is combed arenoticeably increased when a wire such as 20 in FIGS. 1-4 and 21 in FIGS.56 is utilized as compared with very highly conductive wire aspreviously disclosed in my aforementioned US. Pat. No. 3,394,7l6. Afurther improvement is provided when warm or hot air is passed betweenthe edge of the dielectric bar and the partially resistive wire 20. Ihave found that, when such hot air is ejected, a noticeable improvementin the electrostatic charges produced on the hair is observed. The thirdsignificant improvement is that although the spacing between the edge 50and the wire or bar 20 remains at approximately one-fourth inch, theedge protrudes downwardly from the bar so that a better contact is madewith the hair as the electrostatic bar 20 or 21 and the comb 22 slidesacross the hair. As aforementioned, the dielectric block edge 50 ispositioned to lie substantially in the same plane as that formed by thetips 37 of the teeth 36 and the electrically conductive bar or wire 20.Thus, while the actual dimensions may be changed from one constructionof an electrostatic comb assembly to another, good results will beobtained if this latter criterion of keeping the tips of the teeth, thedielectric edge, and the conductive bar substantially in the same plane.

As was explained in my aforementioned US Pat. No. 3,394,716electrostatic charges are produced in the hair by the bar or wire 20 andthe gapping between the hair engaging edge 50 and the teeth causesforeign particles to be collected on the block and the teeth of thecomb. My present invention, therefore, significantly increases theelectrostatic charges produced. The assembly shown in FIGS. 1-4 with hotair passing between the bar 20 and the dielectric edge 50 may be used tostyle the hair at home more efficiently and easily than with theassembly illustrated in my aforementioned patent. The relatively bulkyhot air generating unit need not be taken outside the home. Instead thedielectric block 12 with the comb mounted therein may be removed andplaced into the handle 70 as previously described and the entireassembly placed in a purse.

Therefore, at least two of the significant improvements will beavailable in a small compact unit that can be carried in a purse.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that hot air slots formed by therespective aligning slots 18 and 19 may be made in other shapes forexample, the air passage instead of being in a series of circularpassages could be one long open passage whose width is equal to thecircular passages illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. The width of the passagesmay be increased as desired. All such constructions are intended to bewithin the scope of the appended claims.

While the improvement of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4includes means for generating a hot air flow, one modification of thatstructure would be to provide means for turning off the heating elementand provide a selection between a hot flow of air or a flow of air atambient air temperature. Another modification of the present inventionwould be to provide an assembly which produced merely a flow of air atambient temperatures without heating elements. The friction of the flowof air between the edge on the dielectric block and the conductive barprovides improved electrostatic qualities without heating the air abovean ambient tern perature. All such modifications are intended to beincluded in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An electrostatic comb assembly having a comb with a plurality ofteeth, an elongated electrically conductive bar mounted on one side ofsaid comb and positioned substantially transverse to the teeth of saidcomb, and a non-absorbent dielectric block positioned between said barand the comb, the block having an elongated edge substantially parallelto the bar and spaced from the comb and the bar, wherein the improvementcomprises,

an electrically conductive material having a recognizable resistanceforming said bar.

2. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim I, wherein saidelectrically conductive material forming the bar is an alloy of nickel,chromium and iron.

3. An electrostatic comb assembly in accordance with claim I, whereinsaid bar has a resistance of approximately 0.06 ohms per foot.

4. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 1, wherein thebar is a nickel chromium alloy wire rigidly mounted on a dielectricbase.

5. An electrostatic comb assembly having a comb with a plurality ofteeth,

an elongated electrically conductive bar mounted on one side of saidcomb and positioned substantially transverse to the teeth of said comband a nonabsorbent dielectric block positioned between said bar and thecomb,

the block having an elongated edge substantially parallel to the bar andspaced from the comb and the bar, wherein the improvement comprises,

means for generating a flow of air,

and means for directing said flow of hot air between said bar and saidelongated edge of said dielectric block.

6. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 5, wherein theflow of air flows over said bar and said elongated edge.

7. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 5, wherein saidelongated electrically conductive bar surrounds said comb and saidelongated dielectric block edge surrounds said comb,

said edge being substantially parallel to the bar and spaced between thecomb and the bar.

8. An electrostatic comb assembly having a comb with a plurality ofteeth,

said teeth terminating in tips,

an elongated electrically conductive bar mounted on one side of saidcomb and positioned substantially transverse to the teeth of said comb,

and a non-absorbent dielectric block positioned between said bar and thecomb, the block having an elongated edge substantially parallel to thebar and spaced from the comb and the bar,

wherein the improvement comprises,

locating said elongated dielectric block edge approximately in a planeprojected from said tooth tips to said electrically conductive bar.

9. In an electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 8, whereinsaid elongated electrically conductive bar completely surrounds saidcomb,

and said elongated dielectric block edge completely surrounds said comb,said edge being substantially parallel to the bar and spaced between thecomb and the bar.

10. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 5, wherein saidelongated electrically conductive bar has a recognizable resistance,

said teeth terminate in a row of tips, and

said elongated dielectric block edge is positioned approximately in aplane projected from said tooth tips to said electrically conductivebar.

11. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 5, wherein saidelectrically conductive bar has a recognizable resistance.

12. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 5, wherein saidteeth terminate in a row, and

said elongated dielectric block edge is positioned approximately in aplane projected from said tooth tips to said electrically conductivebar.

13. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 8, wherein saidelectrically conductive bar has a recognizable resistance.

14. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 10, whereinsaid elongated electrically conductive bar surrounds said comb, and

said elongated dielectric block edge completely surrounds said edgebeing substantially parallel to the bar and spaced between the comb andthe bar.

15. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 10, whereinelectrically conductive material forming the bar is an alloy of nickelchromium and iron.

16. An electrostatic comb assembly in accordance with claim 10, whereinsaid bar has a resistance of ap proximately 0.06 ohms per foot.

17. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 10, wherein thebar is a nickel chromium alloy bar which can be mounted on a dielectricbase.

18. An electrostatic comb assembly comprising,

a housing having an aperture formed therein,

means for generating hot air and ejecting it through said aperturemounted in said housing,

a dielectric bracket having an electrically conductive bar mountedthereon,

a comb mounted in a dielectric block, said comb having a plurality ofteeth,

an edge formed in said dielectric block spaced from said comb andpositioned substantially transverse to said teeth,

means for detachably mounted said block in said bracket with said edgesubstantially parallel to said conductive bar,

means for detachably mounted said bracket to said housing over saidaperture, and

means for directing hot air ejected from said grill between saiddielectric block edge and said bar.

19. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 18, whereinsaid bar is constructed of an electrically conductive material having arecognizable resistance.

20. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 18, whereinsaid teeth terminate in a row of tips, and

said elongated dielectric block edge is positioned approximately in aplane projected from said tooth tips to said electrically conductivebar.

21. An electrostatic comb assembly comprising,

a housing,

a dielectric bracket having an electrically conductive bar mountedthereon,

a comb mounted in a dielectric block, said comb having a plurality ofteeth,

an edge formed in said dielectric block spaced from said comb andpositioned substantially transverse to said teeth,

means for detachably mounting said block in said bracket with said edgesubstantially parallel to said conductive bar, and

means for detachably mounting said bracket to said housing.

1. An electrostatic comb assembly having a comb with a plurality ofteeth, an elongated electrically conductive bar mounted on one side ofsaid comb and positioned substantially transverse to the teeth of saidcomb, and a non-absorbent dielectric block positioned between said barand the comb, the block having an elongated edge substantially parallelto the bar and spaced from the comb and the bar, wherein the improvementcomprises, an electrically conductive material having a recognizableresistance forming said bar.
 2. An electrostatic comb assembly asspecified in claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive materialforming the bar is an alloy of nickel, chromium and iron.
 3. Anelectrostatic comb assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said barhas a resistance of approximately 0.06 ohms per foot.
 4. Anelectrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 1, wherein the bar isa nickel chromium alloy wire rigidly mounted on a dielectric base.
 5. Anelectrostatic comb assembly having a comb with a plurality of teeth, anelongated electrically conductive bar mounted on one side of said comband positioned substantially transverse to the teeth of said comb and anon-absorbent dielectric block positioned between said bar and the comb,the block having an elongated edge substantially parallel to the bar andspaced from the comb and the bar, wherein the improvement comprises,means for generating a flow of air, and means for directing said flow ofhot air between said bar and said elongated edge of said dielectricblock.
 6. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 5,wherein the flow of air flows over said bar and said elongated edge. 7.An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 5, wherein saidelongated electrically conductive bar surrounds said comb and saidelongated dielectric block edge surrounds said comb, said edge beingsubstantially parallel to the bar and spaced between the comb and thebar.
 8. An electrostatic comb assembly having a comb with a plurality ofteeth, said teeth terminating in tips, an elongated electricallyconductive bar mounted on one side of said comb and positionedsubstantially transverse to the teeth of said comb, and a non-absorbentdielectric block positioned between said bar and the comb, the blockhaving an elongated edge substantially parallel to the bar and spacedfrom the comb and the bar, wherein the improvement comprises, locatingsaid elongated dielectric block edge approximately in a plane projectedfrom said tooth tips to said electrically conductive bar.
 9. In anelectrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 8, wherein saidelongated electrically conductive bar completely surrounds said comb,and said elongated dielectric block edge completely surrounds said comb,said edge being substantially parallel to the bar and spaced between thecomb and the bar.
 10. An electrostatic comb assembly as specified inclaim 5, wherein said elongated electrically conductive bar has arecognizable resistance, said teeth terminate in a row of tips, and saidelongated dielectric block edge is positioned approximately in a planeprojected from said tooth tips to said electrically conductive bar. 11.An electrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 5, wherein saidelectrically conductive bar has a recognizable resistance.
 12. AnelectrostatIc comb assembly as specified in claim 5, wherein said teethterminate in a row, and said elongated dielectric block edge ispositioned approximately in a plane projected from said tooth tips tosaid electrically conductive bar.
 13. An electrostatic comb assembly asspecified in claim 8, wherein said electrically conductive bar has arecognizable resistance.
 14. An electrostatic comb assembly as specifiedin claim 10, wherein said elongated electrically conductive barsurrounds said comb, and said elongated dielectric block edge completelysurrounds said edge being substantially parallel to the bar and spacedbetween the comb and the bar.
 15. An electrostatic comb assembly asspecified in claim 10, wherein electrically conductive material formingthe bar is an alloy of nickel chromium and iron.
 16. An electrostaticcomb assembly in accordance with claim 10, wherein said bar has aresistance of approximately 0.06 ohms per foot.
 17. An electrostaticcomb assembly as specified in claim 10, wherein the bar is a nickelchromium alloy bar which can be mounted on a dielectric base.
 18. Anelectrostatic comb assembly comprising, a housing having an apertureformed therein, means for generating hot air and ejecting it throughsaid aperture mounted in said housing, a dielectric bracket having anelectrically conductive bar mounted thereon, a comb mounted in adielectric block, said comb having a plurality of teeth, an edge formedin said dielectric block spaced from said comb and positionedsubstantially transverse to said teeth, means for detachably mountedsaid block in said bracket with said edge substantially parallel to saidconductive bar, means for detachably mounted said bracket to saidhousing over said aperture, and means for directing hot air ejected fromsaid grill between said dielectric block edge and said bar.
 19. Anelectrostatic comb assembly as specified in claim 18, wherein said baris constructed of an electrically conductive material having arecognizable resistance.
 20. An electrostatic comb assembly as specifiedin claim 18, wherein said teeth terminate in a row of tips, and saidelongated dielectric block edge is positioned approximately in a planeprojected from said tooth tips to said electrically conductive bar. 21.An electrostatic comb assembly comprising, a housing, a dielectricbracket having an electrically conductive bar mounted thereon, a combmounted in a dielectric block, said comb having a plurality of teeth, anedge formed in said dielectric block spaced from said comb andpositioned substantially transverse to said teeth, means for detachablymounting said block in said bracket with said edge substantiallyparallel to said conductive bar, and means for detachably mounting saidbracket to said housing.